The story of denim's rise from modest workpants to high-fashion statement.

Ever since Levi Strauss made the first blue jean pants in California in the 1870s, everyone has wanted a pair. No one imagined America's love of denim would travel around the world, yet jeans remain an essential part of our lives. The Blue Jean Book chronicles this love affair.

Researchers suggest we're happiest when we're in our jeans. They express our personalities: compare the person who wears the latest designer label to someone who prefers the thrift store variety.

The Blue Jean Book takes you deep into the world of denim. Chapters include:

• The Birth of the Blues: 1870 to 1900 -- Levi Strauss and the origin of jeans
• Movers and Shakers: 1900 to 1940 -- From workpants to play pants
• Blue Jean Time Machine: 1940 to 1970 -- From WWII wear to the trademark of teen rebellion
• The Jean Scene: 1980s -- Jeans go designer
• Borderless Blues: 1990s -- The politics of pants: sweatshops, ecological impacts
• Panting for Perfection -- 21st century jeans

From their origins with hardscrabble miners and cowboys, to their popularity among laborers, rebels, and the incurably hip, The Blue Jean Book is the perfect fit for anyone who wants to know the story behind the seams.